Per a note intercepted by Bloomberg, Apple on Friday will drop the pandemic mask mandate for more than 100 of its 270+ Apple Store retail locations in the United States following positive trends in vaccinations and declining COVID-19 cases.
The intra-company note reads as follows:
After careful review, the Environment, Health, and Safety (EHS) team, along with leadership, have determined it’s safe to update our guidance on masks for customers in your store. The positive trends in vaccinations, testing, and case counts for your area have made this change possible.
Customers will be able to enter Apple retail locations vaccinated or unvaccinated, and Apple will not require proof of vaccination. In areas like Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay Area where mask wearing is still mandated, masks will still need to be worn in Apple Stores.
While Apple is dropping mask mandates for customers in some areas, Apple Store employees will still be required to wear masks at this time.
Apple says that it plans to continue to monitor local guidance and COVID data throughout the holiday season, making adjustments as required.
Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.